Posts Tagged wicking
Sleep Sacks with Coolmax and InsectShield
Besides a backpack, there’s one specific item separating the long-term shoestring traveler from the vacationing tourist: a sleep sack. Sometimes called a sleep sheet or travel sheet, it’s a staple of travelers who won’t be finding 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton draping the next bed where they will spend the night. When the place you bed down costs less than the guests at the luxury hotel tip their bellman, you need a sheet of your own that will come between you and the mattress you can’t fully trust.
I’ve been checking out two just-introduced sleep sacks that are leaps and bounds beyond what I carried with me on three trips around the world, however, Modern technology has transformed the lowly travel sheet into something as comfortable as it is functional. Here’s the rundown on ones from Cocoon and Sea to Summit. Either one is a great choice. You get something lightweight and easy to carry that is also comfortable. The big bonus though? Both have built-in InsectShield protection, so you can doze off in a cheap guesthouse without first slathering yourself in DEET.
Lightweight and Compact
The Sea to Summit Coolmax Adaptor with InsectShield weighs in at 8.6 ounces (244 grams) and stuffs into a slightly smaller pouch than the Cocoon InsectShield Safari sheet, which is 10.8 ounces 
(305 grams). The Cocoon one has slightly thicker fabric, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Each stuffs into its own little sack. After stuffing, the sack is like a Nerf football without the tapered parts at the end. The Sea to Summit sack has a little carrying or hanging handle, while the Cocoon one is vented on one side to allow moisture to escape. Both have a cinch strap at the top.
Coolmax Fabric
The fabric of these sheets is 100% CoolMax, the wonder stuff that wicks away moisture and stays cool against your body. You can sink wash it and know it will dry in a few hours. It feels like your favorite t-shirt or nightgown, but it won’t get soaked with sweat and stay that way. My daughter liked the Cocoon one so much she curled up on the couch with it and then took it to bed to sleep in as well for several nights. A good sign.
InsectShield Treatment
You can find a lot of sleep sheets and sleeping bag liners with those first two attributes. The real kicker with these new models, however, is the introduction of InsectShield. That’s the permethrin-based repellent that’s built right into the fabric. No smell, no fumes, no effect on your skin. But you can wash the fabric at least 35 times without it losing its effectiveness. I’ve used ExOfficio clothing with this stuff in it and have significantly reduced the amount of DEET I had to apply. Sleeping in this product would give you an added layer of protection in areas with lots of mosquitoes. There’s even a little hoodie flap you can pull over your head.
This is great all-around for long-term travelers and those staying in hostels, but naturally you could use it for camping trips too, either as the only thing you’re sleeping in or as a sleeping bag liner for an additional layer.
See more on the Sea to Summit Adaptor page and the Cocoon USA website. The first company’s model is easier to find than the latter, but both seem to still be in roll-out mode at retail. Expect to pay somewhere between $45 and $55 for these InsectShield versions, a bit less for a straight Coolmax one.
Search for the Sea to Summit sleep sack or REI.com or RockCreek.com
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on June 17th, 2010
Under Armour Socks for Travel
It seems like you can’t walk from one side of a gym to the other without seeing some Under Armour workout shirts and shorts on the buff bodies.
But hey, they make socks too. Quite good ones in fact. And at a price that appeals to the frugal shopper who hates spending lots of money on things like socks, belts, or underwear. I like a pair of great performance socks from companies such as Lorpen or Teko as much as anyone, especially when hiking, but these Under Armour training socks come with a price tag that’s easier to live with for all the other days. In the case of these HeatGear III socks for men, $11.99 for a two-pack.
Part of that price break comes from being made in China instead of made in the USA like others I’ve reviewed. Otherwise though, they’ve got all the right features in place. We’re talking moisture wicking, thin vented fabric over the spaces between the toes, extra cushioning where needed, and a seamless toe. There’s even a built-in microbe-zapping technology for odor prevention. They come in black or white and the design will almost make you think you’re Spiderman.
These would be great socks to pack for casual travel because they are relatively thin and light, they dry quickly when washed in the sink (polyester/nylon/lycra), and you won’t stink up the hostel when you’re wearing then a long sweaty day. They make your feet more comfortable, but barely come over the top of your shoes. They’re available in models for both men and women.
This other model for women gets by with the minimum amount of fabric, for when you don’t need a whole lot of sock. My personal trainer wife has been using these Kris Concealer Liner socks for weeks and is loving them. She is a regular Thurlos buyer and was skeptical at first because there’s not much to them, but hidden behind the low profile is a long list of features and a lot of comfort.
As with most of the HeatGear line, you get the moisture wicking, the heel and arch cushioning, seamless toe, and odor protection. What you don’t get is a lot of fabric where you don’t need it when running or walking in sneakers/trainers or shoes where the top of your foot is exposed. And once again, $11.99 list price for two at the Under Armour site.
If you’re traveling to warm places and like this style of sock, you could do well without spending a lot through this company. They sell a men’s Resistor Low Cut model with most of the same properties (but a different fabric weave) at a bargain price of 6 pairs for $20. A company after my cheapo heart.
You can find Under Armour performance socks at most sporting goods stores and many shoe stores. Search prices online at Bizrate.com
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Travel Light on May 26th, 2010
ExOfficio Geo Trek’r Shirt Review
Unless I’m going somewhere cold, one staple of my wardrobe is always a wrinkle-free, quick-dry short sleeve shirt with a collar that will look decent in multiple situations. This Geo Trek’r one from ExOfficio is a great choice. Think of it as the more stylish younger brother to the Air Strip Lite shirt, a staple of adventure travelers hitting every continent.
Every time I read a “backpacking around the world” article that mentions 90-liter backpacks, I cringe. There’s no way any casual traveler should be hauling that much gear on their back, especially when the wardrobe could have a few ExOfficio outfits that stuff tight and weigh next to nothing. Toss in some good travel shoes, travel underwear, a lightweight jacket, and gear that performs double duty and you should be well shy of 70 liters—even if you’ve loaded up with way too many gadgets.
Like most ExOfficio warm weather clothing, this Geo Trek’r shirt feels wispy light but is as strong as a space suit. It’s made of nylon, like most other travel shirts out there, but if you look closely you see reinforcement threads running in a checkerboard pattern within the fabric. Look at all the seams and you’ll see double-stitching on the main stress points.
Then there are all the little touches that make it more comfortable, like mesh webbing instead of solid fabric inside the breast pocket and the same mesh along the shoulders. This model doesn’t have the back vents to let out heat though, so if you want that go for the Air Strip Lite. This one is meant to say “I’m ready for a sundowner” instead of “Hand me a machete.”
I’ve worn and washed this shirt a dozen times now and it still looks like it just 
came off the hanger. Judging by how my other ExOfficio clothing has held up, it’ll still look good two years from now too.
The Geo Trek’r comes in five colors, but I personally prefer the bone color pictured at the bottom because it doesn’t show sweat stains as easily as the darker versions. There’s also a long-sleeve version. The short-sleeve one lists for $49, the long-sleeve one for $59. Less popular colors and sizes tend to go on sale regularly. See the links below to buy direct or check prices at Backcountry.
Geo Trek’r Shirt at ExOfficio.com
Search at Backcountry.com
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on May 20th, 2010
Columbia Cliff Dwell Shirt for Cliff Climbing or Coffee
The Cliff Dwell shirt from Columbia Sportswear belongs to the class of shirts I keep throwing into my travel bag by instinct these days: lightweight, functional, and durable, but not too far off from what I would wear if I weren’t traveling. I can pack smart and look smart in multiple situations.
In the photo this looks like a typical plaid short-sleeve shirt, something you would throw on before traipsing out to the local coffee shop. But up close it’s more. There’s Columbia’s Omni-Shield treatment, first of all, which makes the shirt water-resistant and breathable. So you stay relatively dry when you’ve spilled a drink on your shirt or you start sweating from embarrassment afterwards. I poured a whole glass of water on my shoulder while wearing this and it flowed right off the side. In a misty drizzle the precipitation just beaded up on the surface.
There’s 30 SPF sun protection and this shirt is from the “Titanium” line, meant to be extra-tough for travelers or adventurers. Still, the fabric is soft to the touch and feels good on the skin.
There are a few other subtle touches putting this on a level above the sea of similar shirts in most any store for men. The left chest pocket is mesh on the inside, zippered on the outside. The arm cuffs are a nice touch and there’s a mesh lining along the shoulder. A fabric loop inside the collar aids hanging on a hook—handy after a sink washing on the road.
Travel shirts like this aren’t flashy or loaded with features, and it’s hard to differentiate a particular one when most are made in Asia from some mix of polyester and nylon. Usually the ones from a dependable brand go a bit beyond the norm though, with a good fit and some extra treatments to the fabric. That’s the case with this Cliff Dwell shirt, which I’ll keep grabbing without thinking about it as I’m picking out clothes for a trip.
The Cliff Dwell shirt lists for $55 at Columbia Sportswear’s site, where you can see more specs and the four available colors.
Or follow these links to get it at REI, or at RockCreek.com.
Browse all travel clothing from Columbia.com
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Travel Light on April 21st, 2010
Air Strip Lite Shirt – a Travel Clothing Classic
ExOfficio’s Air Strip Lite shirt was a revolution when it first came out and it was embraced by frequent travelers like geeks embraced the iPhone. OK, so maybe nobody lined up at stores to get the 2.0 version, but now it’s hard to go anywhere that attracts adventure travelers and not see at least one person wearing one of these shirts around. Considering how much travel apparel there is for sale in your average outdoor gear and clothing store, that’s an impressive feat.
There are a lot of good reasons for this fandom so devoted that people write whole magazine articles about traveling with this one shirt, write about it in their books, or do blog posts gushing about how much they love it. For one thing, these Air Strip Lite shirts still look great after multiple sink washings, days of hacking through the jungle, and rafting down rivers in the sun. I bought one back in 2008 and reviewed it on the old version of this blog a few months later. About 20 trips later, it still looks as good as the new model ExOfficio sent me lately to check out, the one pictured here.
Lots of cool features make this shirt worth the money, the first one being that it’s super-light and dries quickly. It’s moisture wicking, it protects you from the sun, and the Dryflylite fabric’s claim says, “So light you might forget you’re wearing it!” You also might forget because it’s comfortable. This is not some clingy fabric that sticks to your skin and makes you sweat even harder.
But then you start really looking at this shirt and realizing how many thoughtful designs are built into it. There’s a ventilation system that does a surprisingly good job of letting body heat and moisture out through the hidden mesh along the sides and the back in line with the shoulders. Two gusseted chest pockets have Velcro flaps to keep your sunglasses from falling out and one has a hidden zipper pocket for cash or a credit card. There’s a little loop above one pocket, also with Velcro, for securing a tool, glasses, or a pen. The sleeves can be rolled up and then buttoned above the elbow as the day gets hotter and a loop on the back is handy for hanging it to dry after a washing.
What’s new about this year’s model? Not much, which is a good thing. Don’t tinker with what’s working well. The only noticeable difference is the new one I’ve been wearing is slightly lighter than the one I bought a few years ago. The long-sleeve men’s version weighs all of six ounces. The thinner fabric seems to breathe a bit better too, but that could be my imagination. 
The ExOfficio Air Strip Lite shirt has spawned a hundred imitators, some of them probably now its equal, but if you want to make the no-brainer choice and be sure it’ll work out well, get one or two of these shirts and you’ll find yourself packing them over and over again. They come in 12 different colors and several patterns too, so you don’t have to dress just in “I’m on safari” khaki. The women’s version is naturally trimmer, with smaller pockets.
You can get all varieties of the Air Strip Lite shirt for men and women at the ExOfficio site, where list price is $85 but slow-moving colors are frequently discounted. You’ll get Free Shipping On Orders Over $50.
Or check prices at REI, Backcountry.com and Rock Creek.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on April 15th, 2010
